Digital

Radio Creates Demand. Digital Captures It. Part Two

Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB

Part Two: Measuring the Consumer Journey

Note: This is the second article in a two-part series exploring how radio and digital work together to build consumer trust and drive measurable business results.

In part one of this series, we explored why radio and digital work best as partners rather than competitors. Radio introduces consumers to a brand, while digital provides opportunities to learn more and engage when the time is right. Together, they create the repeated interactions that build familiarity and, ultimately, consumer confidence. The good news for today’s marketers is that this journey is becoming easier to understand.

Radio Creates Demand. Digital Captures It.

Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB

Part One: Why the Best Marketing Strategies Don’t Choose Between Radio and Digital

Note: This is the first article in a two-part series exploring how radio and digital work together to build consumer trust and drive measurable business results.

Consumers don’t think in terms of media channels. They simply respond to messages that capture their attention. They may hear about a business on the radio during their morning commute, search for it later that afternoon and make a purchase from their phone that evening. To the consumer, it is one seamless experience. Yet marketers often evaluate each step independently, making it appear as though radio and digital are competing when, in reality, they are working together.

The Secret to More Profitable Marketing? Audio.

Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB

What if one media channel could make every other part of a marketing campaign work harder?

Boomers Hold the Wealth. Radio Holds the Connection.

Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB

Marketers have spent years chasing younger consumers – following emerging platforms, evolving behaviors and cultural trends. But in the race to connect with millennials and Gen Z, many advertisers may be overlooking one of the most financially powerful audiences in America: baby boomers.

Audio’s Next Chapter

How radio and audio advancements in measurement, content, and AI are expanding marketing value for brands

Author: Tammy Greenberg SVP Business Development, RAB

Audio is delivering a new level of value for marketers. Innovations in measurement, content production, and artificial intelligence (AI) are enhancing what brands can accomplish, enabling clearer visibility into performance, greater flexibility in activation, and more confidence in outcomes. As these advancements take hold across radio, streaming, and podcasts, audio is emerging as a key channel that combines scalability and accountability — two integral priorities at the center of marketing decision-making.

Insights into Action: 5 Next Steps for Radio from the RAB – Borrell Digital Benchmarking Report

Author: Avery Berggen, Marketing Manager, Marketron

Digital Is Now Radio’s Growth Engine: What the 2026 RAB – Borrell Benchmark Means for Local Media

For more than a decade, RAB’s Annual Digital Benchmarking Report, produced by Borrell Associates Inc., has helped radio leaders understand how local advertising is changing and what it takes to stay competitive.

This year’s findings confirm what many broadcasters are already seeing.

2025’s Most Read: Radio’s Biggest Trends & Takeaways

Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB

As we look back on the past year, our blog explored a wide range of topics—each shining a light on why radio continues to be America’s top media platform.

My 2025 in Review – Audio, New Data and MMM

Contributor: John Fix, John Fix Ltd. – Consulting P&G retiree

I was fortunate to work with many great people and companies this year. Cumulus Media, iHeart, SiriusXM and In4mation Insights were great partners and the RAB and IAB have done great things with audio. The majority of the conversations were around the role of data and every road somehow led to MMM.

Telecom Marketing on Radio: What’s Working Best

Contributor: Rick Kestenbaum, general manager, AnalyticOwl

The telecom industry is what keeps us all connected—whether we’re texting a friend, streaming a movie or hopping on a video call for work. It’s come a long way from landlines and dial-up internet to lightning-fast mobile networks and fiber-optic cables. These days, telecom companies are at the heart of the digital world, powering everything from smart homes to cloud computing.

Radio Pumps Up Marketing Effectiveness

Audio advertising can boost audience engagement from the top of the funnel to the bottom

Author: Tammy Greenberg SVP Business Development, RAB

The pressure is on almost every marketer. A whopping 95 percent of marketing leaders say their teams are under more pressure than ever to prove marketing’s value, according to “CMSWire’s 2025 State of the CMO Report.” Equally worrisome, the report, based on the responses from 515 marketing leaders, found that 69 percent of marketers feel the gravity of responsibility to deliver quantifiable ROI, up from 59 percent in 2023. Using audio media platforms to amplify brand-building efforts — and drive full-funnel results — could be the solution to relieve the pressure.

Holiday Shopping Creates Big Opportunities for Local Media Advertising

Contributor: Mallory Bouslog, senior account executive, Marketron

Despite fourth quarter signaling the end of the year, it is also actually a huge advertising opportunity for the year. Retail and other industries see bumps in spending, making it critical to promote their business to rake in holiday shopping sales.

Finish 2025 Strong; Kickstart 2026 with Momentum: BIA Forecast – 5 Key Highlights

Contributor: Celine Matthiessen, VP of Insights and Analytics, BIA Advisory Services

As we near the end of the year, it’s important to maximize opportunities and also work towards 2026. With shifts in consumer behavior and spending across key local business categories, having insights into the current and future marketplace will be key advantages to driving growth.

Radio Opportunities Abound In 2025

Contributor: Celine Matthiessen, vice president insights & analysis, BIA Advisory Services

Radio isn’t just surviving in 2025 – it’s evolving. With $12.3 billion in projected local radio and digital radio ad revenue this year, combining both traditional and digital platforms, radio remains the fifth-largest advertising medium in the local market space. BIA’s analysis reveals shifts in how different sectors are approaching radio advertising.

Insights into Action: 5 Next Steps for Radio from the Borrell-RAB Digital Radio Sales Report

Contributor: Beth Osborne, director, marketing and content, Marketron

For 13 years, the Borrell-RAB digital benchmarking report on radio digital sales has been a valuable resource for the industry. The insights of local media buyers and station management allow us to look backward and forward on the opportunity for radio to be a leader in local digital ad sales.

Humans Matter

Author: Tammy Greenberg, SVP Business Development/RAB

In the age of AI, audio’s ability to forge deeply personal and trusted relationships with listeners is an opportunity for brands.

2024 – A Look Back

Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB

During this time of year, we all try to find some time to take a breath and look back at the events of the year. Some will make you laugh, while others may make you cry.

Why Do Local Companies Need to Advertise Continuously?

Contributor: Beth Osborne, director, marketing and content, Marketron

Advertising is continuous. The biggest brands in the world are still buying media, so why wouldn’t a local business? The argument that everybody already knows the business doesn’t hold up in the modern world. Just because a consumer knows a company doesn’t mean it’s at the top of their mind or has value in their eyes.

What’s on the Horizon for Radio

Contributor: Nicole Ovadia, vice president of forecasting and analysis, BIA Advisory Services

The radio advertising landscape is in the midst of a dynamic transformation, but within this evolution lies a world of untapped potential. As consumer habits adapt and digital integration becomes the norm, key industries are reshaping their advertising strategies. Yet, amidst these changes, local radio stands strong as a resilient and potent force in the media mix – the fifth largest media when you examine the total local advertising marketplace.

It’s Good Judgement to Use Radio for Legal Services

Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB

Buying a home, estate planning or getting a divorce. These are just some of our rites of passage that we may experience as adults, but they are also times when we find ourselves in need of legal services.

Plumbing and HVAC Ads on Radio: What’s Working Best

Contributor: Rick Kestenbaum, general manager, AnalyticOwl

According to the National Association of Realtors, the average age of a home in the U.S. is 39 years. That creates constant opportunity for plumbing and HVAC companies. Radio has proven to be an excellent way to not only promote emergency services, but also to get listeners thinking about profitable replacements, upgrades and renovations.

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Digital Is Now Radio’s Growth Engine: What the 2026 RAB – Borrell Benchmark Means for Local Media

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Audio advertising can boost audience engagement from the top of the funnel to the bottom

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